The Word of God

In Revelation, John described Jesus Christ: "and his name is called The Word of God." (Revelation 19:13)

What an interesting title. I've always found it interesting. At another time, John wrote, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost" (1 John 5:7).

The Word. Why is Jesus Christ called the Word? "Therefore, in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation" (D&C 93:8).

He is the Word because He is the messenger of salvation, and "the messenger of the covenant" (Malachi 3:1).

I like that word messenger. Messengers deliver words. And in this case, the Messenger is the Word. At one point, many of Christ's followers decided His words were too hard to follow, so they turned away."From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.

"Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

"Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

"And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." (John 6:66-69).

Peter recognized that the Word had the words of eternal life. He chose to follow Christ and listen to His message of salvation. Sometimes, the message of the covenant requires hard things of us. This is one reason that some people will turn away. However, when we recognize Christ's mission as the messenger of salvation, the One who can teach us what we need to know and do to be saved, then we become willing to do all that is required. Where else could we go? Jesus Christ has the words of eternal life.

So, through our covenants and our obedience to the commandments, we demonstrate that we have accepted Christ's words. And, thus we show that we have accepted the Word. It's not just about what we demonstrate with our actions, of course. It's about what is in our hearts. I love what Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart" (2 Corinthians 3:3).

From my understanding, these people had internalized the doctrines of Christ into their hearts. They didn't need an epistle written commending them to all men, because they had become that commendation. They lived according to the words of eternal life that had been taught to them. On the other hand, there was a group of people in the Book of Mormon who were taught by the prophet Abinadi. These people claimed to be priests of God, but they lived sinful lives. Abinadi said to them, "And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts" (Mosiah 13:11).

As I think about having the word of God written in my heart, it is a very personal, introspective quest. It is not something I can tell about another person. In the Old Testament, God promised His people:

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jeremiah 31:33).

So, let's put this all together: Christ is the Word. He is the Messenger of Salvation. He is the Messenger of the Covenant. When we strive to follow Christ, the covenant becomes written in our hearts. That means that Christ is written in our hearts. He becomes a part of who we are. And our hearts are changed through faith in His words. This is a long process, a long quest.

There was a righteous group of people who accepted the covenants of Jesus Christ and were blessed because of it. They were the people of King Benjamin.

"And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

"I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts,..that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you" (Mosiah 5:7, 12).

I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that only through Him can I learn what I need to do to return to Him. I am grateful for the covenants I have made. My covenants make me safe. As I keep them, I know I can become closer to Jesus Christ and that He can write His name and His words in my heart. It's a process I want to have happen to me.